HELDUN (Exarchate/Confederated Kingdom of)

Location: Northeastern head of the
Isle of Dawn. SD

Area: 175,465 sq. mi. (454,455
sq. km.).

Population: 120,000, including cities
of Helskir (pop. 12,500) and Dunadale (pop. 20,000), and the towns of Deirdren
(pop. 5,000), and Norkinn (pop. 1,000).
Helskir's population has fallen due to the hostilities surrounding its
liberation from Heldannic occupation.

Flora
and Fauna:
Standard for its climate, notably herds of sheep and goats. Dangerous monsters include goblinoids and
bandits that are common throughout the Isle of Dawn.

Further Reading: Dawn of the
Emperors boxed set, previous almanacs.

Description by Demetius
Vannopolus, with commentary from Vivianna Romanones.

Heldun as a kingdom is a
bridge. A bridge between a past
shrouded in antagonism and war, and a future of prosperity and
enlightenment. It was formed from the
union of two nations, the Kingdom of Helskir and the Confederacy of Dunadale
through the peaceful efforts of Thyatian and Alphatian alike. Heldun is a bridge between cultures,
Thyatian, Alphatian, and increasingly Antalian as Ostlander immigrants
establish their settlements. That
promise of a new future was threatened for a time, as the Knights of Heldann
occupied Helskir itself, and much of the surrounding countryside, in a bid to
assert control over the northern portion of the Isle of Dawn. Although they were thrown out eventually,
the chaos they wreaked will be felt for years to come.

The Land

Heldun is a large nation,
with all types of terrain and climate.
From the northern tip of the Isle of Dawn where Helskir lies, and the
land is cold but where the fish abound, sweeping down the coast in a wide arc
to the temperate coastal communities of Dunadale and Deirdren. The fertile coastal lowlands are the most
settled parts of this land. As you move
inland from the coast the terrain becomes a patchwork of hills, bogs, and
forests, a dangerous place, but a place where the people are hardy and freedom-loving. [The area around Demeran's Moor, at the
head of the island, once considered part of Helskir, was ceded to Westrourke
following the signing of the Treaty of Helskir. Vivianna.]

The People

Heldun's cities are
thriving communities, with burgeoning trade.
The people are beginning to mix freely in these towns. By and large, the cities of Dunadale and
Helskir have become communities where Alphatian and Thyatian customs are
blending into a new culture, uniquely Heldunian. Even before the recent Thyatian conquest, Dunadale stood out among
Alphatian domains as the only place to adopt anything resembling the Thyatian
concept of citizenship, and even went a step farther. The inhabitants of the confederacy had rights, could vote, and
popularly elected officials limited even the powers of the monarch. Coastal Heldun is a cosmopolitan land, whose
spirit the Heldannic invaders could not crush.

But while the coasts with
their brash tradesmen are what people most think of when they consider Heldun,
it is the people in the countryside which form its heart. These people are the salt of the earth,
prizing their self-reliance, and yet ever ready to lend their neighbours a
helping hand. For centuries they have
lived, wedged between two empires, their lives and livelihoods endangered by
war and monster incursions, and yet they thrive. [Until recently Asteriela Torion and Eruul Zaar jointly
governed this land, with the capital at Helskir. The assassination of Zaar while on Ionace and the invasion of the
Heldannic Knights left the government in turmoil and forced Asteriela to move
the capital temporarily to Dunadale.
Although she has yet to return to Helskir formally, Asteriela has given
every indication that she intends to do so.
Vivianna.]

Recent History

Heldun is a new land with
more ahead of it than behind it. It was
forged from the crucible of war, and tempered by diplomatic wrangling between
the Thyatians and the Alphatians.
Heldunians have put the past behind them. New arrivals from Ostland and Thyatis, as well as Alphatians
returning from abroad, prefer to think of the future. [The arrival of the Knights of Heldann was a painful reminder
of the region's strife-filled past, proving that it is not so easy to forget
harsh reality, as Vannopolus would like to believe. The wars, especially the recent Final Alphatian War and Thincol's
subsequent absorption of the region, still shape attitudes among the
people. Vivianna.]

Don't Miss

The lighthouse in Helskir,
while not (as previously reported) the largest in the world (several along
Vanya's Girdle are its equal or greater), is quite a sight nonetheless, with a
brilliant beacon light. The Heldannic
Knights used it as a lookout tower, and it was fairly heavily guarded. Although much of Helskir was severely
damaged during its liberation late in AC 1017, the lighthouse survived the
ordeal intact. [Helskir's
once-thriving markets are still quite bare, due to the reconstruction that is
currently underway-most of the goods you will find are the bare essentials, as
most people living here are more concerned with rebuilding their lives than
anything else. The markets of Dunadale
are still much more impressive, though in a few years I am sure Helskir will
become once more a destination of choice for northern sea traders. Vivianna.]

Also not to be missed is
the grand outer wall of Helskir.
Constructed by the Heldannic Knights in a bid to both strengthen their
defences and open the way for a massive expansion of the port city, it held off
the city's liberators for several days.
Although heavily damaged in some portions, the wall is still very sound,
and massive in scale. Helskir's city
council is currently debating what to do with the structure-tearing it down
would yield much in the way of stone for building materials, but because its
construction involved the use of forced labour, it has become highly symbolic of
Helskir's time of occupation. There is
a movement afoot to preserve the wall for future generations, as well as
improve upon it to bolster Helskir's defences.
Regardless of the final decision, I recommend that you visit it.

The Herdane Escarpment does
provide a glorious view of the sunrise for those who have the fortitude to
scale its cliffs. The hard-working
people of the interior aren't a sight, but for those who are tired of interactions
with cynical swindlers, spending time with these folk will restore your faith
in humanity.

Do Miss

There are designated areas
between Helskir and the outer wall that have been fenced off-heed the warnings
and avoid them! Not all of the traps
laid by the Heldannic Knights in this region were triggered by the allied force
that liberated the city, and thus you could be maimed, or killed, by a
mundane-or magical-device left over from the battles. It is unknown how long it will take to deactivate and remove them
all, but some city planners estimate that it could take a year or more.